This invention relates generally to improvements in support stands of the type used in surgical and other medical procedures to support medical fluids such as irrigation and/or infusion fluids to be administered to a patient. More particularly, this invention relates to an irrigation stand which has a multiplicity of individually adjustable support poles for holding a corresponding plurality of fluids at selected vertical positions.
Medical stands of the type used to support irrigation and/or infusion fluids are generally well-known in the medical arts. Such stands are typically constructed in the form of an upright pole supported by castered legs to accommodate rapid yet mobile deployment at patient bedside. One or more hooks are usually provided at the top of the stand so that a bag or bags of medical fluid can be hung therefrom in an elevated position. The vertical height of the stand and thus the vertical position of the fluid-containing the bag is often adjustable to regulate the rate of fluid administration to the patient.
In some medical treatment regimens, it is necessary or desirable to suspend multiple fluid-containing bags which may contain different fluids at a convenient location near the patient. For example, in many arthroscopic surgical procedures, simultaneous administration of multiple fluids is required, wherein it may be necessary or desirable to support these fluids at different vertical elevations. In the past, this has normally required a different support stand for each different fluid, with the resultant multiple stands occupying excessive space and potentially interfering with the surgical procedure. Alternately, modified support stands having multiple support hooks have been proposed, but these devices have not satisfactorily facilitated fluid support at individually selected vertical positions.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for an improved fluid support stand adapted for supporting multiple infusion and irrigation fluids and the like at individually selected vertical positions. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.